15 Free Ways To Repair Your Credit and Raise Your Credit Score

Improving your credit scores and your overall credit profile can help you to secure better interest rates, qualify for loan programs, and even open up employment opportunities.So many financial interactions and transactions rely on your credit to paint an accurate picture of you as a borrower.Use these 15 tips to make sure that your credit report captures your best side.

1. Get a copy of your credit report from all three bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Everyone is entitled to a free report each year, and the site for obtaining a copy is AnnualCreditReport.com.You need a report from each bureau because different information goes in their algorithms, and not everything will show up on every report. (Related ad links:Free credit report, credit reports, check my credit)

2. Review your credit report for erroneous information.

Look for accounts that don’t belong to you, or information for someone with your same name (especially if you’re a Jr., Sr., or III).Correcting these errors could provide a quick and easy credit boost.

3. Dispute errors like late payments, collections, or charge offs directly with the credit bureaus.

They are required to investigate all dispute claims and this is often the only way to remove derogatory information that was reported incorrectly or in error.

8. Keep your oldest accounts open.

The average age of your credit accounts directly affects your credit scores, so keep your oldest accounts active and in good standing.If accounts go unused for too long, creditors may shut them down due to inactivity.Consider making a recurring payment through the account and paying the balance in full each month.